Multi-Objective RIS Deployment Optimization for Physical Layer Security in ISAC Networks

Abstract

Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) have emerged as a key enabler for programmable wireless environments in future Beyond-5G (B5G) and 6G networks. In the meantime, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) and Physical-Layer Security (PLS) are becoming essential functionalities for next-generation wireless systems, particularly in safety and mission-critical applications. However, jointly optimizing RIS-assisted systems to support communication, sensing, and security introduces complex and often conflicting design trade-offs. In this work, a multi-objective optimization framework for RIS-assisted networks is proposed, aiming to jointly analyze communication performance, sensing accuracy, and security-related channel properties in a unified system perspective. The proposed model jointly considers RIS deployment location, orientation, surface size, and an ISAC configuration weight that controls the allocation of RIS reflection gain between communication and sensing tasks. Simulation results reveal inherent trade-offs among communication reliability, sensing accuracy, and security performance. The proposed framework provides valuable insights into the interplay between communication, sensing, and security, and enables the design of efficient RIS deployment and configuration strategies for secure ISAC-enabled 6G wireless networks.